Jakarta-(Riauterbit.com)-The Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Mayferas confirmed on Thursday that all eight people who were arrested in Vietnam for hijacking a Malaysian tanker were Indonesians.
"Officials from the Indonesian consulate general in Ho Chi Minh and from the embassy in Hanoi met the eight hijackers on Wednesday and they have verified that they are indeed Indonesian," Mayferas told the press at the Foreign Ministry office on Thursday.
The eight hijackers have been identified as residents of Natuna, Riau Islands; Medan, North Sumatra; Jakarta; and Kisaran, North Sumatra.
A suspect from Natuna, identified as Ruslan, is believed to be the leader of the team.
Mayferas said the Vietnamese government, through its maritime police, was currently investigating the case. However, it had not specified how long the investigation would take.
The Indonesian government was currently considering the possibility of extraditing the suspects, the ambassador said.
During the questioning, the suspected hijackers also revealed that there were five other hijackers who fled to Indonesia.
The Orkim Harmony, a Malaysian-flagged tanker carrying 6,000 tons of petrol worth US$5.60 million, went missing on June 11 en route from Malacca to Kuantan Port.
Eight suspects were then arrested in Vietnamese waters near Tho Chu Island after they reportedly fled the tanker in a lifeboat last Thursday. (fsu/ika)(++++)
The Jakarta Post
RI confirms Malaysian tanker,hijackers are Indonesians
